Twist, but don’t hold your breath

With this flexibility move, your breath is coordinated with the twist. Remember to breathe smoothly and gently. Visualize a “crisscross� position in which the front of your hips face forward as you continue to revolve your upper torso to the side.

Karen Voight

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1 Sit sideways in a sturdy chair with a firm seat. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor with your knees directly over your ankles. Your weight should be evenly distributed over both buttock bones. Feel your spine stretch upward through the top of your head.

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2 Place your hands on the back of the chair. On an inhale, sit up tall and gently twist your torso toward the back of your chair. Exhale and deepen the twist a little more. Breathe in again and “grow� taller, then exhale and twist a little bit more. Continue this coordinated breathing and rotating sequence for several sets of breaths. Then relax, return to center and repeat the twist with the other side of your body toward the back of the chair.